COUNTY LIFE

Historic canons returned to Alamo grounds

Published

9 years ago

01/26/2018

SAN ANTONIO – Tuesday the Alamo welcomed the return of two historic cannons used during the 1836 Siege and Battle of the Alamo back to the Alamo grounds. The battle cannons revealed some surprising secrets during their conservation at the Texas A&M Conservation Research Lab in College Station, Texas. The cannons were sent to the lab in October as part of a larger effort to preserve all seven of the Alamo’s existing 1836 battle cannons, and returned with several exciting new discoveries about their origins.

“In October, we shared our commitment to ensuring long-term, extensive preservation and conservation plans for the Alamo’s historic buildings and artifacts,” said Texas General Land Office Commissioner George P. Bush. “The 1836 battle cannons are among Texas’ most treasured artifacts, and we are ensuring they receive the care and honor they deserve. Fortunately, in doing this preservation work, we were able to discover more about the cannon’s history than we knew before. We can’t wait to share those exciting discoveries with all visitors and Texans.”


	Photo credit: Texas General Land Office

Those discoveries include finding previously unknown 3 and 5 pound cannonballs which may have been loaded during the battle on March 6, 1836 but never fired.

Video and sound from the cannons’ return to the Alamo may be downloaded in high resolution for television broadcast or lower resolution for social media:

All seven of the known Alamo battle cannons will be restored during this process. The cannon restoration is part of the much larger Alamo restoration Commissioner Bush launched in 2015. This project aims to protect and preserve the Alamo Church and Long Barrack, restore reverence to the Alamo battlefield by recapturing it from the streets and plaza, and build the visitors center and museum the Alamo deserves but does not have, to display the amazing Phil Collins artifact collection – all to bring 1836 to life every day at the Shrine of Texas Liberty.

History lovers can contribute to the cannon preservation project by visiting GoFundMe.com/AlamoBattleCannon. More information about the cannon unveiling and other upcoming events can be found at TheAlamo.org, or on social media @OfficialAlamo. For more information about preservation and restoration efforts ongoing at the Alamo, visit SaveTheAlamo.com.

COUNTY LIFE

Adoption, foster care resource fair on Nov. 14 in Bowie

Published

2 days ago

11/12/2026

bowienews

In recognition of National Adoption Awareness Month this November, Texas Community Counseling and the Heart Gallery of Northwest Texas are partnering to bring resources to Montague County families.
The two organizations will host an adoption, foster care and kinship care resource fair on Nov. 14 at the United Presbyterian Church of Montague County Fellowship Hall, located at 300 W. Nelson St. in Bowie.
The resource fair will run from 10 a.m. to noon, bringing together local agencies and service providers to answer questions and share information about support available within the county.

Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.

COUNTY LIFE

Rolling bus tour to visit southwest corner of the county

Published

2 days ago

11/12/2026

bowienews

Members of the Montague County Historical Commission invite the community to join them on Nov. 14 for a Rolling Bus Tour.
This tour will cover the cemeteries in the south west corner of Montague County. You will have the opportunity to stroll through some of the cemeteries, others the bus will stop and Commission member Calvin Durham will tell the history of the cemetery.
The bus tour will meet at the Old Jail in Montague at 9 a.m. and return at approximately 3 p.m. The tour will include a sack lunch, a brochure of each cemetery visited and a book “This Soil will Grow Grapes” written by Melvin Fenoglio.
The cost of the tour is $20 for adults. There is no charge for children under 12. The commission members strive to preserve the history of the county and to share as much of it as possible with our citizens. You can RSVP by calling 940-841-2674 or 940-872-1007. Please leave a message with your name if there is no answer.

COUNTY LIFE

Nationwide emergency alert system test on Nov. 17

Published

2 days ago

11/12/2026

bowienews

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 1:20 p.m. on Nov. 17.
FEMA’s emergency alert system is a national public warning system made up of thousands of radio, TV, cable and satellite and wireline video providers. Through the EAS, the President can address the American people or share life-saving information with the public during a national emergency.
FEMA is required by law to conduct a nationwide test of the public alert and warning system at least once every three years. These tests allow FEMA to identify technical or operational issues before the system is needed during an actual emergency.
FEMA and the FCC are sharing the test date in advance because it is important the public understands what to expect on the day of the test.
At approximately 1:20 p.m. (Central time), on Nov. 17, all the electronics providers will interrupt normal programming to relay a test message.
This message will state: This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 to 1:50 p.m. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
When the test is concluded, normal programming will resume.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with stakeholders, including participating communications providers as well as federal, state, tribal and territorial agencies to prepare for and conduct the test.